New Orleans Saints defeat Minnesota Vikings, 14-9

NEW ORLEANS - For months, the Vikings' opener at New Orleans, in a rematch of an epic NFC title game, in the home of a city believing the Saints offered proof of its rebirth, felt as consequential and symbolic as Christmas.

Turns out it was more like Halloween -- a holiday signifying little, featuring loud costumes and leaving half the participants with queasy stomachs.

Ugly and overhyped as it was, the Vikings' 14-9 loss to the Saints doesn't mean much. Losing on th...

A little more than seven months after losing a heartbreaker in overtime in the NFC Championship Game, the Vikings returned to the Superdome on Thursday night for the NFL's regular-season opener. They left with another defeat, falling 14-9 to the Saints before an announced and raucous crowd of 70,051 that began celebrating early as the Saints unfurled their championship banner.

NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Saints opened their title defense by winning with defense.

Jonathan Vilma intercepted Brett Favre, and the Saints allowed the Minnesota Vikings only two first downs and no points in the second half of a hard-fought 14-9 victory in the NFL's regular season opener on Thursday night.

How unusual was that kind of result for New Orleans?

In Sean Payton's first four seasons as head coach, the Saints led the NFL in offense three times and ha...